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Xi Hosts Putin And Indian P.M. Modi At Major Security Summit; Judge Temporarily Bars Deportations Of Guatemalan Minors; Pope Leo Calls For End To Pandemic of Arms. Aired 3-4p ET
Aired August 31, 2025 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FAREED ZAKARIA, CNN HOST, "FAREED ZAKARIA GPS": While President trump promises his tariffs will lead to a Golden Age for the country, many experts warn they could damage the economy for a long time.
In my latest special, I go back to examine America's and Donald Trump's history with tariffs.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: They are beating the hell out of this country.
They have taken tremendous advantage of the United States, folks.
They are systematically ripping off this country.
(CROWD cheering "USA!")
ZAKARIA: You'd be forgiven for thinking that was an anti-China tirade from Donald Trump on the 2024 campaign trail or maybe the 2016 campaign trail.
Not quite.
These are the words of a much younger Trump, in the 1980s, then, laser focused on Japan.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ZAKARIA: I hope you'll join me for this special hour on America and tariffs.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN HOST: Big Beautiful Tariffs: A Fareed Zakaria special airs Monday at 8:00 P.M.
[15:01:40]
All right, we begin with a major summit happening in China. Leaders from around two dozen countries, including Russia and India are there to talk about security in the region.
China's President Xi Jinping is taking the spotlight as he looks to reshape the world order away from U.S. and Western dominance, while President Trump won't be in China for any of this week's gatherings, his presence looms over many of the conversations at these meetings.
Meantime, preparations are underway for a major military parade in Beijing following the summit on Wednesday, which will also be attended by North Korea's Kim Jong-un.
CNN's Ivan Watson has more from China.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: China is getting a chance to flex its diplomatic muscles at the 25th summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization with world leaders gathering right now in that vast building over there.
The founding members of the organization, Russia and China, their key buzzwords going into this are their calls for a multipolar world order. They've long complained about the U.S. and its dominance over the globe, really, since the end of the Cold War, and they are getting a chance now to kind of present an alternative as they gather countries together here.
Xi Jinping, the Chinese leader, in comments he talked about chaos in the world, saying that the world today is swept by once in a century transformations that the international situation is both fluid and chaotic. Though no mention of the fact that his close partner, Russian President Vladimir Putin, is responsible partly for a lot of this with his ongoing war in Ukraine and the nightly bombardment of Ukrainian cities.
Putin has, of course, arrived here in China a bit more than two weeks after his own face-to-face talks in Alaska with the U.S. President Donald Trump. Another key presence here is the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, still stinging from the 50 percent tariffs that the Trump administration slapped on India just a number of days ago with experts arguing that the hard line the Trump administration has taken on India has kind of turbocharged a resumption of relations between India and China, two neighbors that in 2020 began fighting deadly skirmishes along their disputed borders together.
Well, in the face-to-face meeting today between Xi Jinping and Narendra Modi, Xi said that that India was making the right choice to basically try to be friendlier with China.
Take a listen to what Modi had to say.
NARENDRA MODI, INDIAN PRIME MINISTER (through translator): After the disengagement on the border and atmosphere of peace and stability has been created, our special representatives have reached an agreement regarding border management. The interests of 2.8 billion people in both our countries are tied to our cooperation. This will also pave the way for the welfare of humanity. We are committed to taking our relations forward on the basis of mutual trust and respect.
WATSON: So in this time of global uncertainty, at a time when the Trump administration has blown up a lot of global free trade and has been attacking some of the U.S.' traditional allies, this is an opportunity China's leader, Xi Jinping to present his country as a more stable and reliable partner, even as he is promoting an alternative to a western led world order.
Ivan Watson, CNN, Tianjin, China.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[15:05:34]
WHITFIELD: All right, Vladimir Putin in China for all four days of the events, as CNN's Will Ripley explains, it is the next step in what has become a close relationship between the two leaders.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WILL RIPLEY, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Two of the world's most powerful strongmen, China's Xi Jinping and Russia's Vladimir Putin, greeting each other in grand, opulent pomp and ceremony.
President Xi once whispered they were driving history's change together. A rare glimpse into how both men see themselves, toasting a vision of a New World Order, one less dominated by the United States.
Years earlier, they were flipping pancakes together. Xi gifted Chinese pandas to Russia. They marked Xi's birthday with ice cream and cake. Sometimes the more reserved Chinese leader even went in for the hug.
Just this spring, Xi was in Moscow watching Putin's military parade.
(UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE speaking in foreign language.)
WATSON (voice over): Now, the roles reverse. Putin heads to Beijing for Xi's massive parade across Tiananmen Square, side by side once again.
What must this moment be like for Vladimir Putin?
JILL DOUGHERTY, FORMER CNN MOSCOW BUREAU CHIEF: I think he's happy. I think he's happy that he is out on the world stage. He is now with his friends.
RIPLEY (voice over): But this time, Putin is not just shoulder to shoulder with Xi. Now North Korea's leader, Kim Jong-un joins the picture. Putin's newest partner. They signed a Defense Pact in Pyongyang. Kim has supplied weapons and thousands of troops for Putin's war in Ukraine.
RIPLEY (on camera): There is a real value to having the three of them together face-to-face, isn't there?
DOUGHERTY: It's crucial to be in the same room. Just that idea, here we are, you know, against the West and the West is doing terrible things and we're going to undermine them. I think that brings them together, kind of bonds them in many different ways. RIPLEY (voice over): For Putin, Kim provides vital military support. For Kim, it's cash and validation. And now, a rare seat at the table with two of the world's nuclear superpowers, appearing together in public for the first time.
And looming over all three, U.S. President Donald Trump. He's been praising the strongman for years.
TRUMP: Putin, very smart. President Xi is a brilliant man. How smart is Kim Jong-un?
RIPLEY (voice over): Today, the stakes go far beyond flattery. With trade, Ukraine and nukes causing tension, Xi, Putin and Kim are closing ranks.
Their shared mission chip away at Washington's dominance, challenged the U.S.-led order that has defined global power for decades.
RIPLEY (on camera): You can imagine the conversations behind closed doors. What pressure points does Trump respond to?
Can Xi use his influence? Can Putin exploit his outreach? Can Kim secure another summit? Will they all meet together someday?
They don't know what Donald Trump will do next. Maybe even Donald Trump doesn't know. And that unpredictability will almost certainly be a topic of discussion behind-the-scenes as they all prepare to stand together on the same stage for the very first time.
Will Ripley, CNN, Taipei.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: All right, and this breaking news into CNN.
A federal judge has just temporarily blocked the U.S. government from deporting a group of unaccompanied children to Guatemala, handing a victory to attorneys who argue the Trump administration is breaking the law.
CNN's Betsy Klein joins us now live from The White House. So deportations were set for Monday, any response now from The White House?
BETSY KLEIN, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE REPORTER AND WRITER: Well, Fredricka, I want to set what is really a remarkable scene. The Trump administration in recent days had identified hundreds of Guatemalan children who were here in U.S. custody to be repatriated to Guatemala. And overnight, those children, according to a federal judge, were woken up and put on planes and expected to be sent back to Guatemala. Their providers were told to get them ready to be discharged within hours, get their belongings together, pack them a pair of sack lunches and just to back up here, the Trump administration has been fixated on this issue of unaccompanied minors in the U.S. These are children who arrive here without a parent or a legal guardian, and once they are here, they are placed into the care of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, while officials work to place them with U.S.-based family members as they go through the immigration process.
[15:10:06]
What's unprecedented here is that these children, according to the U.S. government were being moved to be returned to Guatemala without going through that process, so an emergency hearing today advocates for the children say that some of them are afraid to go back to Guatemala. They say that some of them are the victims of abuse and neglect by their parents or legal guardians while the Trump administration, meanwhile, says that they have been requested to return these children by their parents or legal guardians.
The judge stepping in, issuing a temporary restraining order to give some time for all of this to play out before those children are sent back and sort out some next steps. The judge set a Friday deadline for a formal response from the government, but one of the judge's biggest concerns is what happens to these children in the meantime, seeking assurances from the Trump administration that they will be taken off those planes and returned to U.S. custody -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: Wow. What an emotional roller coaster ride. Those deportations supposed to happen today. Apologies, I said Monday, but I meant to say for today, you clarified it all for us there, Betsy.
So I also want to ask you about Trump's looming immigration crackdown in Chicago. What are officials in the administration and in Illinois saying about this?
KLEIN: That's right. Multiple sources familiar with the planning say that the next phase of the Trump administration's immigration crackdown is expected to target Chicago in the coming days, and there are efforts to move in armored vehicles and surge federal personnel to the city with this operation expected to kick off by this Friday, September 5th.
Of course, those same sources cautioned that this is fluid and subject to change, but this is expected to be larger in scale than what we saw earlier in President Trump's second term, where they targeted Chicago. This is an intensified operation that is expected to mirror what we saw earlier this summer in Los Angeles.
There is going to be personnel from Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, ICE, as well as U.S. Customs and Border Protection and other agencies, and in a sign of how this could mirror Los Angeles, officials are preparing for the National Guard to stand by if a peacekeeping presence is needed.
But I want you to listen to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem preview those plans this morning.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KRISTI NOEM, U.S. HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY: We've already had ongoing operations with ICE in Chicago and throughout Illinois and other states, making sure that we are upholding our laws, but we do intend to add more resources to those operations. We will continue to go after the worst of the worst across the country, like President Trump has told us to do, focusing on those that are perpetuating murder and rape and trafficking of drugs and humans across our country knowing that every single citizen deserves to be safe.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KLEIN: And yesterday, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson signed an Executive Order that in part, directs Chicago Police not to work with federal agents on immigration enforcement. I also want you to listen to Illinois Mayor J.B. or excuse me, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker on the same issue.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. J.B. PRITZKER (D-IL): They ought to be coordinating with local law enforcement. They ought to let us know when they're coming, where they're coming, if its ICE or if its ATF or whoever it is, but they don't want to do that either, and I must say, it is disruptive. It is dangerous. It tends to inflame passions on the ground when they don't let us know what their plans are, and when we can't coordinate with them.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KLEIN: Now, I want to make an important distinction that this is separate from President Trump's recent comments about a crime crackdown in Chicago with federal law enforcement, as well as National Guard troops. This is specifically about immigration -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right, Betsy Klein at The White House, thanks so much.
All right, we are also getting new reaction today as a Catholic community in Minneapolis is trying to heal after their place of worship became the scene of unspeakable tragedy last week.
This morning, Minnesota Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar warned that cuts to mass shooting prevention programs could hinder efforts to stop future attacks.
A CNN investigation found that last month, the Trump administration cut funding in Minnesota for programs to identify potential mass shooters. Here is what Congresswoman Omar had to say on this morning's "State of the Union."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN ANCHOR: You were one of six Democratic lawmakers who called for that funding to be restored. On Friday, a DHS spokesperson defended the cut, saying that it was nothing more than a slush fund for left-wing ideologies. What is your response to that? Can you explain how that money was actually used?
REP. ILHAN OMAR (D-MN): Yes, I mean that money is the kind of money that goes to fusion centers to make sure that they are identifying threats and sharing information. That's the kind of money that, you know, our County Sheriff's Office might utilize. That's the kind of money that MPD, our police department might be able to utilize to hire an analyst to look at the data, look at where there might be vulnerabilities.
[15:10:12]
We are also talking about resources that go to schools and places of worship to make sure that they have the ability to fortify, that they have the ability to look at where their vulnerabilities are, maybe have cameras around. This is a resource that we've been fighting for a really long time to try to make sure that we up the amount of resources that are available, because we have seen a huge uptick in the last 20 years or so in attacks to our schools, to our public venues, and especially places of worship.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: And this morning's mass for the church was held in the school auditorium, just steps away from Wednesday's deadly shooting.
CNN affiliate WCCO reports on how the community is healing.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ASHLEY GRAMS, WCCO REPORTER (voice over): For days, mourners have gathered in grief, bringing flowers and candles to Annunciation Catholic Church and School.
These two friends, doing the same.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We are here as believers, Catholics, to support this Christian community.
GRAMS (voice over): On Wednesday morning, as a gunman fired through the windows into the church, killing two children, Father Dennis Zehren was presiding over mass.
FR. DENNIS ZEHREN, PASTOR, ANNUNCIATION CATHOLIC CHURCH: It is a difficult memory and it just -- it was loud, it just kept coming, and my first instinct was just to rush towards where the bullets were coming from.
GRAMS (voice over): The pastor recounting his effort to protect students in the sanctuary.
FR. ZEHREN: I could have got between those bullets and the kids, that's what I was hoping to do.
GRAMS (voice over): Just days later, on Saturday night, Father Zehren gathered his parish for mass for the first time since the attack, sharing a message of hope.
FR. ZEHREN: Watch for that light that will scatter every darkness. We watch for that light that will never fade, that will only grow stronger. We watch for that light of the world. That light of the world is Jesus Christ.
GRAMS (voice over): Bonnie and Joe Munn stepped out after mass and told us they were touched by his message.
JOE MUNN, ATTENDING MASS: He doesn't read from the literature. He reads from his heart.
GRAMS (voice over): The two are glad to know this community can look to him, as many seek comfort.
BONNIE MUNN, ATTENDING MASS: They're going to heal well with him being the pastor here.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: And our thanks to Ashley Grams and WCCO for that report.
All right, coming up, Pope Leo, using his Sunday mass to honor the victims of that school shooting at the Minnesota Catholic Church. The Pope issuing a powerful call for peace amid a rising wave of violence.
Also, this Labor Day weekend, threats from two storm systems.
Plus, rowing toward a world record, meet the team of brothers that made the incredible journey from Peru all the way across the Pacific to Australia.
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[15:22:50 ]
WHITFIELD: All right, the holiday weekend is in full swing, and temperatures in some areas may already feel like fall has arrived.
Meteorologist, Chris Warren has a look at the latest Labor Day forecast.
CHRIS WARREN, METEOROLOGIST: Most of the country seeing a pretty mild and uneventful holiday weekend, with some mild temperatures that hopefully are agreeable for a lot of people in the northeast. It is going to be quite hot, though, in the Southwest.
Any storms that are going to be happening here across areas with the green around the Gulf Coast here, right in the middle of the U.S. as well. That's what we are expecting for the rest of the day with temperatures warming back up after a really cool start to the day in the Northeast. It will be back into the 70s, upper 70s in New York, 77. South, still warm, not as hot as it could be, but it is still going to be warm in the afternoon, mid to upper 80s for most areas in that I-10, I-20 corridor.
But here in the Midwest and the Northeast, temperatures are going to be running in the 70s for the next few days, taking us right into the first part of the week, and this cooler than average, even close to record temperatures will be continuing throughout much of the week, and the end of the week is when there is going to be a better chance for some of these records to fall.
So record cold lows, record cold warm highs expected here. The warm highs here, the cold highs here, a possibility for the Midwest and the West Coast. There is a little bit of that split that will be ongoing and here is where the cool air is going to be settling in. You go from 80 degrees on Wednesday in Chicago, dropping down to the 60s for highs, for highs in the 60s, lows in the 50s.
Meanwhile, on the West Coast, Portland, Oregon, temperatures are going to be into the lower to mid-80s and then topping out at 90 degrees on Tuesday.
WHITFIELD: Oh, that abrupt drop in Chicago, that's tough.
All right, Chris Warren, thanks so much.
All right, an Italian teenager is about to become the Catholic Church's first millennial saint. The teen died at just 15 years old, but his legacy as an inspiration for a new generation of Catholics is just beginning.
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[15:29:22]
WHITFIELD: All right, today at Vatican City, Pope Leo called for an end to what he called the pandemic of arms. It came as he made his first public comments on gun control since taking the lead of the Catholic Church.
He also offered prayers to the victims of the shooting at the Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
POPE LEO XIV, BISHOP OF ROME, HEAD OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH AND SOVEREIGN OF THE VATICAN CITY STATE: We include in our prayers the countless children killed and injured every day around the world.
Let us plead God to stop the pandemic of arms, large and small, which infects our world.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: CNN Vatican correspondent Christopher Lamb has more on the Pope's comments today.
[15:30:05]
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHRISTOPHER LAMB, CNN VATICAN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Pope Leo XIV making a strong appeal to end the proliferation of arms that he sees across the world today and speaking after the tragic shooting at a Catholic School in Minnesota. Leo the XIV, the first American Pope in the church's history, speaking in English on Sunday as he condemned the pandemic of arms, both large and small.
Leo XIV making his first public remarks about the question of gun control since his election on the 8th of May this year. Of course, Leo, able to speak in English as his mother tongue and therefore his words having a greater resonance as he spoke out about this pandemic of arms, which he sees.
Leo when he initially responded to the school shooting, sent a telegram which offered his condolences to the victims, but didn't get into the question of gun control. Today, he entered into that territory, albeit diplomatically. He called for prayers once again for the victims and for all children who are caught up in violence, who are being injured and killed, he said every day.
Now, Leo XIV in keeping with his predecessor, Pope Francis, who condemned the arms trade, Leo has done that repeatedly. Pope Francis also called or warned about the widespread use of guns by civilians, which he said could become a habit. Leo didn't quite go as far as Francis today, but making his views very clear about the widespread proliferation of arms, both large and small, and which he sees as injuring and damaging the lives of children, killing children in so many places today, and particularly following that tragic school shooting in Minnesota.
Christopher Lamb CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: All right, let's talk more about the Pope.
Joining me right now talk is Katie Prejean McGrady. She is a CNN Vatican analyst and the host of "The Katie McGrady Show" on SiriusXM.
Katie, always great to see you.
KATIE PREJEAN MCGRADY, CNN VATICAN ANALYST: Great to see you, too. Thanks for having me.
WHITFIELD: So what do you make of the Pope calling for an end of what he calls a pandemic of arms after this week's deadly mass shooting in Minneapolis?
MCGRADY: I think it was exactly what I expected him to say, making an appeal for peace as he has consistently done since we first met him a few months ago.
I appreciated the fact, and I made note of the fact that he called it a pandemic of arms, both large and small. So he was making reference to both the horrific wars and the continued violence that we see in Ukraine and in Gaza, but also acknowledging that it happens on a very small personal scale, in this particular case, a terrible shooting at a Catholic school which Catholics across this country, I mean, my kids go to Catholic school mass once a week, I mean, it immediately hit home.
So I think that that appeal was a very specific, pointed use of the words large and small to make note of. It is a massive problem, and it is a very personal problem.
WHITFIELD: And then what does it say, in your view, about how the Pope is sending this messaging? We heard Christopher Lamb, you know, underscore that the Pope was using English and, you know, perhaps there is a greater resonance that comes with him delivering that message in that manner.
MCGRADY: One thing we've noted is that Pope Leo is able to switch languages based on the audience. So on a Wednesday audience, he jumps from Italian to Spanish to English in the course of a few minutes because he knows people speak those languages, and so he wants to make sure his message is getting across very clearly.
Speaking in English to the United States of America, who we've just suffered it here on our shores, I think was a distinct, listen to me very clearly, hear me very clearly, I am speaking directly to you. This pandemic of arms is something I want you all to be paying attention to and trying to fix.
Archbishop Hebda, the bishop of the Twin Cities, talked about specifically how we have to pray with our feet. Yes, thoughts and prayers, but also real conversations. So to say it in English, and then he switched right back to Italian, Happy Sunday, he definitely wanted us to pay attention to it over here.
WHITFIELD: Okay, let me shift gears now, if you don't mind.
The Pope's announcement that he will canonize the Catholic Church's first millennial era saint, Carlo Acutis, and this will happen next Sunday. You and I have talked about this before because there was a date, you know, prior to the previous Pope's passing, and now here it is.
Tell us more about this young man and the significance of his canonization to Saint status.
MCGRADY: Blessed Carlo is, and I say this affectionately, he is my favorite. Just out of shot behind me, there is a picture of him on my wall and my kids once upon a time were like, "Mom, is here our cousin?" because it is just a phot of Carlo.
Because we have photos of Carlo. We have family photos. We have family videos. He is of our time. This is a kid who played Pokemon, a kid who played Nintendo. He was a young man who had such a great affection for the outdoors, and he cared for animals. He was a normal kid.
But in that normalcy, he had a deep faith. He had a great love of the eucharist. He went to daily mass, the youngest person in the church by far. Helped bring his own mom and dad back to Catholicism. That's really the first miracle of Carlo, he brought his parents back to the practice of the faith. And so a normal kid who is buried in a pair of Nikes is going to become a saint. There is so much connection and affection to and for him, because there is this normalcy.
I could be him, right? Like you could be him. We could all be that, because he lived this average life, and most of us just live kind of normal, average, ordinary lives and yet we can find holiness within that.
So I think that's why Carlo appeals to all of us.
WHITFIELD: And what will the world see next Sunday? What is this ceremony going to be like?
MCGRADY: You know, I hate to say that a canonization just kind of looks like a normal mass. It is a mass, and in the middle of it, the Pope will make a declaration. He says, "We now canonize," you know, and it is in Latin. It is very fancy. There are two saints actually being canonized, Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati and Blessed Carlo Acutis, both young men who died very suddenly, who lived these really profound lives of holiness in their ordinary, everyday status.
There is this really cool part of the mass where relics of the saints, so this is and it is parts of their hair or a piece of bone, these things that help us remember them will be brought forward, and it is usually done by people who experienced a miracle as a result of praying to these particular saints for their intercession, so that will be really quite beautiful to see. It is very unique inside of a canonization mass, highly recommend people watch it. It starts at like 4:30 in the morning here in the States, but it is well worth the early wake up because it is so beautiful to see.
WHITFIELD: That is super fascinating.
Katie McGrady, thank you so much.
MCGRADY: Thanks for having me.
WHITFIELD: All right, U.S. lawmakers headed back to D.C. today, and they're going to have key decisions coming up right away. A look at some of the work ahead for both Democrats and Republicans, including a possible government shutdown if the two parties cannot agree on a spending bill.
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[15:42:18]
WHITFIELD: Cities in Florida are facing a deadline to remove rainbow colored crosswalks. The crosswalk battle comes after Florida's Department of Transportation issued a memo saying its policy prohibits pavement or surface art that is associated with social, political or ideological messages or images. Demonstrators marched in Miami Beach today protesting the new rule.
The policy gained national attention when the state removed a rainbow crosswalk, that one right there from a road in Orlando outside Pulse, the gay nightclub where 49 people were killed in 2016. The mayor of Miami-Dade County told CNN earlier today, the rainbow crosswalks are safe and important symbols of unity for communities.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAYOR DANIELLA LEVINE CAVA (D), MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA: This is simply a matter of erasing people. It is not just erasing a crosswalk. And in fact, the governor is getting so much pushback about this that he is actually now blaming this on others.
You have research that shows that these could be safer, in fact, for both pedestrians and automobiles, because it actually calls more attention. It makes the crosswalks more visible, and these are not just paint on pavement, these are symbols of love, unity and respect.
And we here in Miami-Dade County, we stand for all of those things.
VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: And so talk to me about the importance of -- I mean, I started the show with saying, is it pain or is it something more?
CAVA: Yes.
BLACKWELL: Expressing that love and support in some other way. I mean, is this something again, you say Miami Beach will make their decision, but is this something worth the fight with the administration when that could be expressed in some other way that does not, I guess, risk some funding or support from the federal government?
CAVA: Basically, this is an attack on people's identity. It is attack on local control. If there is no demonstrated harm, which there isn't, what is the logic? This is actually something that was policy for a long time and never was enforced or interpreted this way and it simply is done, we believe as a show of force, something to try to negate community input, community position, community love and acceptance.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: The state has threatened to cut transportation funding to cities and counties in Florida if the rainbow colored crosswalks are not removed by Thursday. At least three Florida communities are appealing the decision.
[15:45:01]
And after a month long break, Congress is set to return this week with a jam-packed agenda, a potential government shutdown looms very large for lawmakers. Republicans and Democrats are also in the midst of a battle over several Trump nominees, and we could see a move by Republicans to block Democrats' delaying tactics on several fronts.
CNN correspondent, Julia Benbrook is in Washington.
Julia, one topic that was top of mind when lawmakers left for August recess, the Jeffrey Epstein investigation. So what do we know about the push for more information on that.
JULIA BENBROOK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Fred, this was a topic that really dominated the conversation here in Washington as these lawmakers prepared to go back to their districts for August recess, and now as they return, some of them are pushing to make sure that the topic remains top of mind.
Now, let's take a little step back at some of the details, the controversy surrounding the release of the files related to the Epstein investigation. Back in February, Attorney General Pam Bondi had hyped up soon to be released documents related to this and even suggested she had the so-called client list sitting on her desk.
Months later, though, the Department of Justice and the FBI released a memo saying it had not found a so-called client list incriminating associates of Epstein, and it would not be releasing more information. That led to calls for more transparency, with some of the loudest voices coming from within the President's own MAGA base.
So before the break, a House Oversight Subcommittee voted a bipartisan vote, I might add to subpoena the Department of Justice for more files and they have said that they will make at least some of those available to the public.
It is important to note that as they have started getting those files, some of the Democrats on that committee have criticized the information that's been shared, saying that not a lot of new records have been sent over, but on Tuesday, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer says that members of this group, both Democrats and Republicans, will be meeting with some of the victims, the victims' family members, as well as attorneys and the goal is to figure out how best to present this information with the victims in mind.
Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. JAMES COMER (R-KY): There are victims that are involved here, and we want to protect their futures and their reputations and their families. So we are going to have a good conversation to see how best then to turn around and present this information to the American people and hopefully put this issue to rest.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BENBROOK: Then also this week, a separate effort led by Democrat Ro Khanna from California and Republican Thomas Massie of Kentucky, those two lawmakers are going to be holding a press conference where we will hear from some victims, some of which they say will be speaking out for the first time, and this comes as they are trying to force a vote on a bill that would call for the complete release of the Epstein files.
And in order to do that, they need 218 signatures on a discharge petition. They say that they believe all Democrats will support that, and then they would just need a handful of Republican signatures.
WHITFIELD: All right, Julia Benbrook, thanks so much.
All right, 139 days in a row boat with your brothers. A record breaking journey that started in Peru just wrapped up in Australia. We will introduce you to this trio from Scotland who are safely back ashore with just one thing on their mind right now, that's finding some, well, maybe two things on their mind -- beer and pizza.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
EWEN MACLEAN, ROWER: Cairns' Marina. This is Rose Emily. Do you have pizza and beer? I repeat, do you have pizza and beer? Over.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
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WHITFIELD: That's a lot of work, but it looks like they had some fun, too after successfully paddling from Peru to Australia.
Scotland's Maclean brothers have just rode their way into the world record books. Now safely back on land, the three athletes are reflecting on their harrowing journey across the Pacific Ocean. CNN's Ben Hunt has details.
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BEN HUNTE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): A very Scottish welcome in Australia for three brothers from Edinburgh who rowed across the Pacific Ocean. It took almost 140 days at sea, but Jamie, Ewan and Lachlan Maclean say they set a new world record, rowing unsupported and nonstop for 14,000 kilometers from Peru to Australia.
JAMIE MACLEAN, ROWER: It's been -- its been unbelievable. There has been really tough times and there's been euphoric moments, and I think it has been an experience the three of us will never forget.
HUNTE: The trio began the ocean voyage in April, the goal not only to reach Australia but also raise money for clean water projects in Madagascar.
And along the way, the brothers posted video updates of their progress. Some featuring celebrities following their journey.
MARK WAHLBERG, ACTOR: We've got to check in on you, make sure you guys are good and keep reminding everybody that you guys are out. There. But the brothers say it was far from an easy ride. Some of their videos showing the difficulties of rowing day and night in difficult weather and keeping the boat steady from the ocean's relentless waves.
Lachlan says he once fell overboard, but was luckily quickly spotted by one of his brothers.
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LACHLAN MACLEAN, ROWER: I was clipped on, so I was -- I was getting trailed behind the boat and Ewan helped me back in on board and yes, fortunately, because in those conditions, sadly, you wouldn't stand a chance in retrieving someone. You wouldn't be able to turn the boat around.
HUNTE (voice over): The brothers say to celebrate their success, they hope to continue to raise money for their charity.
EWEN MACLEAN: Cairns' Marina. This is Rose Emily, do you have pizza and beer? I repeat, do you have pizza and beer? Over.
HUNTE (voice over): And enjoy some of the creature comforts they missed while at sea.
Ben Hunte, CNN.
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WHITFIELD: All right, someone get them that pizza and beer. They deserve it.
All right, how about you? Do you have a little news fatigue? I hope not. "Have I Got News for You" could be the cure you need.
The comedy quiz show returns next week, and you can catch that new season on September 6th at 9:00 P.M. right here on CNN.
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